I’m getting on a plane to Costa Rica in a few minutes, but I wanted to share something with you before I go.

What if I told you that getting wild (as in, jungle-caveman wild) was the key to whole health and weight loss?

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I’m not asking you to run around naked pounding your chest like Tarzan (though that wouldn’t hurt, and is pretty close to what I’ll be doing in Costa Rica this week), but I am urging you to get back to your wild, intrinsic self.

Now don’t get me wrong, I live in New York City, have an affinity for high heels and red lipstick, and am most commonly compared to Sex and the City’s Carrie.

But pounding the pavement in six inch stilettos and piling on cosmetics every day puts a lot of strain and a big toxic load on the body.

And guess what physical stress and toxicity lead to?

Weight gain, adrenal fatigue, digestive issues, skin imbalances, anxiety and so much more.

Whether you live in a big city and like to shop in Nolita on the weekends in your Rag & Bone boots or you live in a suburb and dash between running errands in your car and being at your computer, if you’re a human in 2015 it’s likely that you have some rewilding to do.

The first time I heard the term “rewild” was at a nutrition conference from Daniel Vitalis, and it really hit home.

So how can you do that when you’re not actually in the jungle?

Well, you could go to the jungle, or the beach, or whatever your happy place in nature is. Or you could skip the six hour plane ride and start getting back to your wild, natural nature with these five practices:

1. Do some grounding. Find a patch of grass in a park or wherever you can, take your shoes off, and sink your feet into the ground. Simply standing and walking barefoot draws electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) out of the body, lessening the stress of your nervous system and engaging your relaxation response. EMFs are the frequencies emitted by cell phones, tablets and computers that drain the adrenals and engage the nervous system’s stress response.

2. Have a makeup-free week. You’ve heard that crazy statistic that women eat 7 pounds of lipstick a year, and I’m sure you can guess that what you put on your skin gets absorbed right into your body. Just like your food, your cosmetics and personal care products should be completely natural and organic. Go a week without products and enjoy getting to know your wild, intrinsic self, and enjoy the physical and energetic release of toxins.

3. Go camping. Find your nearest camp grounds and get there. Pitch a tent, or if it’s safe, sleep right under the stars. The ultimate form of grounding and the best way to draw EMFs out is through full body contact with the earth.

4. Be a rebel. Most people I know feel like they have to do and say certain things every day, and it’s true – to be a “successful” human in society we do have to maintain some of that decorum, but sometimes we just need to break the rules a little bit.

Again, you don’t have to go all Tarzan unless that speaks to you, but do focus on flexing your authenticity muscles this week and being a little more honest about your wants and needs. Practice this with your partner, at work, and even in small interactions.

The world wants to see you, not a carbon copy of the average, people-pleasing, “successful” person. Authenticity brings you back to your wild nature and releases anxiety around fitting in and being perfect, both of which are diametrically opposed to freedom and whole health, and engage your stress response.

5. Eat primal. Ever heard of paleo? It’s an eating and lifestyle approach based on how caveman ate. It can get a little extreme, but I love taking bits and pieces of the approach and integrating it into my own life. Go big picture and just focus on the overall goal of reducing processed food and eating real food. You’ll feel more grounded, authentic, calm, and wild.

The benefits of these five practices are weight loss, laser focus, decreased stress and anxiety, better digestion and skin, a more positive outlook, and even increased productivity. Because when you feel great it’s easier to create.

You might be wondering how these seemingly-random practices all have the same positive effect, but it’s simple. They all engage the relaxation response in the nervous system, which governs all bodily functions.

When you’re stressed out, the body shuts down and everything from metabolism to mental function slows. When you feel calm and centered, your internal organs flow and you feel happy and at ease. Make sense?

Which of these five practices will you try and how will getting back to your intrinsic wild nature support your health?

What are your goals right now and how might this whole wild thing help you reach them?

Outside of physical health and/or weight loss, how could this lifestyle approach help you feel more free and happy?

Hit reply and tell me or join the conversation over on the blog. I can’t wait to answer your questions and cheer you on.